Gesellschae t



' w. AKEMANN.

APPARATUS FOR STABILIZING A DIRECTION IN SPACE- Patented Nov. 14, 1922. I

3 SHEETS-SHEET F l W.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 3. 1920.

W. A KEMANN.

APPARATUS FOR 'STABILIZING A DIRECTION l-N SPACE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3. 1920. 7

1,435,681. a entedNov.14,1922.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. w. AKEMANN. v APPARATUS FOR STABILIZING A DIRECTION IN SPACE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3, I920.

1,435,681. PatentedNov. 14,1922.

3 susns-snsm s.

Fatentcd Nov; 14, 1922,

stener WALTHEB nxnizreimi, or ESSEN, GERMANY, Assrenon 'ro rarnnxnurr AKTIENT en'snnnsormrr, or nssnN-onrHn-nUrr'R, enntrANY.

ArrAaA'rus ronstresrnrzrne anmnc rrolv IN srAcn Application filed September Tom f (Ii/z (.1111 it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVALTii'na AKEMANN, residing at Essen, Germany, a citizen of the German Republic, have invented a cer- 5 tain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Stabilizinga Direction'in Space (for which I have filed application in, Germany, January 7th,=1918), of which the=following is'a specification. a V- The present invention relates toan apparatus for stabilizing a direction' in space, in which means are provided by: which, when undesired rotary movements of the stabilizable'material axis of the stabilizing apparatus occur, a member attached to the material axis and acting on thedirection to be determined can be additionally adjusted in such a measure that, the mov'ement-of this member caused by the, undesired rotary 2'0 movement can be maderetrograde. f The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show three constructions of the invention as applied to the fire control apparatus for naval guns. p i

Figure lis-the first construction, Figure 2 is a view lookingqfrom the'left of the parts of Figure lsituated at the gun station and I i iare'the second and third Figures 3 and 4- construction. 7 The first construction will be (lESCI'lbGd first; J

At an obseriingstation' ou board theiship issituated a bearing. body A adaptedito rotate about a vertical axis and encloses bymeans ofa casing a a gyroscopic apparatus (not shown) suspended from itby a Garden suspension. On the one end ofthe-materlal ,40 axis a? which is stabilizable by the gyroscope and projectsrthrough the casing a? is-keyed atoothed sector a which is positively connected to the middle wheel 5 of a sun and planet gear by a spur wheel 6?. Theplanet wheel Z2 otthe sun and planet gear is mounted on the rectangularly bent down end ,of a shaft B which carries the rotor B of a transmitter B 33 The other middle wheel 6 is mounted on a hollow sha-ft bf 50. which surrounds the shaftB' and is positively connected'to a hand wheel-withthe interpositionof a self-locking wormgear in the. manner shown in the drawing, The other end of the stabilizable material axis 3, 1920. Serial No.'408,'078

a? carries one middle wheel a of a second sun and planet gear, the planet wheel a iof which'is mounted on the rectangulai'ly bent end'ofa shaft a I-a-nd the other middle wheel a on a hollow shaft a which surrounds the shaft at? The shaft a which is coaxial with the'fstabilizablematerial axis a? carries on its freelend a sighting telescope A rigidly attached thereto and the hollow/shaft a is 1 a positively connected: to the hand wheel C with the interposition of a selfrlocking worm leads to. a receiver D ca riagel). A pin on. V coaxial therewithis loosely and rotatably From the transmitterB Bia conductor ib arranged on the gun 1 the trunnion G and surrounded by a hollow pin :13, which 1101- l'o-w pin-E carries, a downwardly extending pointer 6 providedqon-vits point with a mark c and also carries *a. wor 'm wheel 6 On thQSllZLft-Id oftherotorl (see Figure 2) of the receiver D iis-fixed a worm -cl which engages with theworm wheel 6 A counter mark 7 arranged on the point ;of a pointer F can be'setto coincide with the mark a of v r the pointer 6 The pointer'F is so mounted on the trunnion G that it can be adjusted relatively thereto, by an apparatus which is not shown, to correspond to the rangefoifthe target andv in; other respects takes part in the rotary movementsof the trunnion.

If the. gunwhich-ihas had the transverse I j imparted to it by the aid oit the fire. control apparatus described is to be elevated and fired while th'egship is rolling say as it passes through the central position of flotation the pointer F is firstiadjustedwith respect to the trunnion r sp d to the range of the target andthen the gun barrel togethe with thepointer F-is so rocked by means of the velevating,gea'r that the counter mark 7"} is again opposite the mark 6 scope at the observing station is ing and the telescope A trained on the tziirget by rocking the hearing A about its verticalaxis; a

in nowthe ship 1-6115 the s tabilizable shaft a will tend, to retain its angular position in space under the action of the gyroscope and there will. accordingly" take place between it and the bearing A which takes part in the rolling; movements of the ship a" relative rotation. This relative rotation is taken part inby the sighting telescope Ag through the The gyroji' also set go I medium of the gearing a a a in such a way that the said slghting telescope likewise re titlIlS its position tralned upon the target;

the relative rotation is also transmitted by the stabilizable shaft a through the medium in such. a way that the pointer 6 which is positively connected to the corresponding receiver D and carries the mark 6 likewise retains its position in space, There there-' fore takes place a relative rotation between the pointere and the pointer-F which takes 'part in the'rolling movements. of the gun,

- and the gun barrel assumesever y timeits angular position corresponding to the range of the target when the counter mark f is opposite the mark 6 when thevs'hip passes :through the central position Lot: flotation.

At this instant therefore 'the' firing gun must take place.

' houl'd there occur e t e 1 the above described gun laying operation,

say for example owing tothe influenceof the movement of precessionfiof the gyroseopejan undesi red but not "always avoid able rotary movement of the stabiliia'ble material aXis (t i'this' rotary movement is transmitted on the one hand :through'the gearing evic -"a to the sightingl'telescope A 9 and 'on'the, other hand through the gearing a? V12 6 13 to 'thefrotor B5 of the transmitter of the long distance control 'appa ratus'.'- "The sighting telescope A does not therefore retain itsposition trained uponthe target, and the pointer 6 {connected to the transmitter Bf B by means oi the long distance controlling apparatus 6 the re- 'ceiver 'D and the gearing d id e E also changes its angular position in;space., In thiscase the gunlayer, who sights the gun by means of the telescope A 9 rotates the" hand wheel vC according to' the swing of the, sighting telescope A in one direction or the. .other. 5 i W He thereby imparts firstly tothe sighting telescope A 9; whichjis connect'edtto the hand wfheel O in -the manner shown .in the drawing by the worm'gear and the gea'r'ing dta it If." an additional i novem ent. "Therotal tion of the hand wheel G is'continu'eduntil" the sighting telescope A again'a'ssumes its position in which it is trained on the target.-;

The said rotation of the hand wheel C is also transmitted through the medium, of the gearing b7 vZ1 7) B to the rotor B of the transrmitterlB B ofthe long distance coni trolling apparatus'and also-to the pointer e connectedthereto. The arrangementis so devised that the additional movementim p'arted'tothe sightingtkzlescope A? by the rotation of the h'andiwheel Ccorresponds withthat of the pointer e in direction and magnitudes" soon therefore during the course of the rotary movement of the'hand wheel-C, "as the si'g'l'rtingtelescope again a during course sume's' the position in which it is trained 'undesired rotary movement of th elstabilizof the" gearing a b Z2 6 Bro the rotor 13*;

able-material axis m The wandering of the rotor B of the transmitter of the long distance controlling; apparatus and with it of the pointere caused by the undesired rotary movenient'of the stabilizablematerial axis a? is therefore obviated and. themovement of p the hand wheel Giis accordingly checked.

Exactly the same action is obtained in re i "spect of the angular position of the pointer e if when undesired rotary movement's of the material axis ,a I occur, care be i taken by suitablefrotation of 'thefh'andawheel C, to i make the sighting telescopeA' permanently. retain the sition in which it is trained'on' the target; a

In the. second construction shown yin Figure v 3 tr the accompanying drawings the gfyroscopic apparatus (not shown) is suspended by means of a Cardan suspension from =a bearin body A which is placed in the interior o :the'ship and encloses the gyroscop-icapparatusby -means of a casing 4 gyrosco'pic apparatus is positively connected gear. The planet wheel b which'ismount- The stabilizable material axis of the ed on a rectahgular'lybtant end era shaft B r is-positively connected to the rotor 13- of the transmitter B B of a long distance-con} trolling apparatus. The oth'er middle wheel] I i bmi ipo itiyely onnected througha selflocking. worm gear to a hand wheelb i'the rotation of which can be read off by the .po-.

sition of two counter marks-6 andb of a receiver G constructed on thecoar'se-and fine systems, which receiver G is provided with two pointers g and g 'which indicate its angular position: and engage with the transmittei B B of the long distance control apparatus is connectedby, conductors corresponding 'to'th'e first construction example exactly to stabilize 'a pointere' carry Linga mark 0 to which a counter mark g A 125 trunnion can be adjusted. T This counter-- whichtaltefs part in the movements; of the mark is located on apointer E, which is adjustable relatively to thetrunnion in a aforesaidcounte'r marks 72 and b; The

manner, not" shown, to correspond to the range offthfejtarget; "Inth'e vicinity of the telescope J and the sighting telescope J is mounted a trans mitter M which can be rotated by means of a hand wheel K in such a Way that this hand wheel K lies within the reach of the gun layer who sights the gun by means of the telescope J. To the transmitter M is connected through a long distance conductor m the receiver already mentioned which is situated at the gyroscopic apparatus.

During the working of the second construction shown in Figure 3 the gyroscope located in the interior of the ship is set going, so that when the rolling movement of the ship occurs the stabilizable material axis a and also the sighting telescope J connected to it by the long distance controlling apparatus B B I)" I2 H, and the pointer e carrying the mark 6 retain their angular position in space for the time being. In this case the gun laying operation for the gun to be laid is the same as in the corresponding case of the first construction.

If however an undesired rotary movementof the stabilizable material axis a occurs the angular position referred to space of the rotor B of the transmitter B B connected to the stabilizable material axis a by the gearing a b b b B also changes and with it also the angular po sition of the corresponding receivers H and D The sighting telescope J therefore loses its adjustment which previously trained it upon the target and the pointer e carrying the mark 6 changes its angular position in space. In this case the gun layer who sights the gun by means of the telescope J rotates the hand wheel K of the transmitter NE according to the swing of the telescope J in one direction or the other. The rotation of the transmitter M which is produced hereby is taken part in by the receiver G connected to it by the conductor m so that the pointers g and 9 change their angular positions. The hand wheel Z1 is correspondingly rotated in such a direction that the counter marks 6 and 6 follow the pointers g and g". This rotation of the hand wheel 6 is transmitted by "the selflocking gearing shown in the drawing to the middle wheel 6 of the sun and planet gear 6 6 Z) and thus effects an additional movement of the rotor B of the transmitter B B. This additional movement of the rotor B is taken up by the corresponding receivers H and D and with them the parts positively connected thereto i. e. the sighting pointer e carrying the mark a p x The rotation of the hand wheels K and 5 takes place in such a direction and is continued for such a time until the gun layer who is doing the sighting through the telescope J once more sees the target in the cross wires of the telescope J Because when the target again registers with the cross wires of the telescope J the original angular position of the sighting telescope J in which 1t is trained on the target isrestored, and as lar position of the pointer e is attained,if

when an undesired rotary movement of the stabilizable material axis a occurs, the two hand wheels K and b be so rotated that the sighting telescope J permanently retains the position in which it is trained on the target.

In the third construction shown in Figure 4 the gyroscopic apparatus (not shown) is suspended by a Cardan suspension from a bearing body A situated in the interior of the ship and enclosing the gyroscopic apparatus by means of a casing a One-end of the stabilizingmaterial axis a is positively connected in the mannerfalready described to the middle Wheel 6 of a sunrandplanet gear, the planet Wheel 6 of which is mounted on the bent end of a shaft B which carries the rotor 13* of a transmitter B 13 To the other end of the stabilizable material axis a is attached pivotally by means o'fa crank arm ca keyed thereon a bearing plate a the other crank arm a ofwhich is pivotally mounted on a bearing bracket (4 On the bearing plate a is mounted a bearing body a to which an auxiliary'rxgyroscopic apparatus (not shown) and enclosed by a casing a is suspended by a Cardan suspension. On the material axis a" of the auxiliary-gyroscopic apparatus which is coaxial with the stabilizable material axis a is mounted the rotor of an auxiliary transmitter A to whlch an auxiliary receiver N I mounted on the bearing body A is connected by a conductor a the auxiliary receiver N is positively connected to the second middle wheel I) of the sun and planet gear 6 b b. which serves to drive the rotor '13 by a self-locking worm gear, so that an additional angular -movement can be imparted to therotorB;

The transmitter B B is connected by conductors Z2 Z9 and Z) with two receivers H and D which are connected up in parallel and of which one (H) is mounted at an observing station on the ship and serves to adjust the position of asighting telescope J positively connected to it while the other D is mounted on the gun carriage D of the gun to be pointed. The receiver D? serves, in a manner which corresponds exactly to the first two constructions, to stabilize a pointer e carrying a mark 6 to which a countermark f which can be-rocked to corre- The rotor shaft n of v spondto the range of thetarget and takes part inthe movements of the trunnion can be adjusted;

' In: the working of the; thirdconstruction shown in Figure 4 the; gyroscopes- (not shownlofthe two gyroscopic apparatus are first set going so that during the rolling movements otthe ship the stabilizable materialaxes a and a and also the sightingv telescope J and the pointer c with the mark 6 retain their angular position inkspace for the time being. If however an undesired rotarymovement of the stabilizable shaft a occurs, the rotor B of the transmitter 13' B and with it the sighting telescope J connected-to the transmitter B". B by the long distance controlling apparatusiand also the pointer assumeafresh angular position in space, and the bearing plate a, is also rocked.

This rocking movement of the bearing plate a is however, as the undesiredrotary. movements of the stabilizable material axis a are only small even in the case-of comparatively great rolling movements of, the ship, likewise-only small, and the auxiliary gyroscopic apparatus has consequently only, to produce a small turning moment in order to maintain the angular position ofthe stabilizable material axisa in space; During the aforesaidrocking movement ofthe-bearing plate a the material axis a is rotated through an angle-oi rotation which is equal to, but in the opposite direction'to theangle of rotation,- of the 'stabilizable material -axis 60?. This rotary movement of the stabilizable materialaxis a" is transmitted through the medium of the electrical controlling aparatus A a N to the rotor shaft n which in its turn imparts through the medium of the gearing Z2 6 15v an additional movement; to the rotor B. The arrangement is so devisedthat the additional movement im;

parted to the rotor B of the transmitter B B when the bearing plate a makesits rocking movement is equal and opposite at every instant to the movement which the rotor would take: up through the medium of the gearing b 6 B when the undesired; rotary movement of the stabilizable mate-' rialaxis a occurs. The rotor b and with italso the sighting telescope J1 and the pointen e therefore retain even when undesired rotary movements of the stabilizable materiaL axis a occur, automatically that angular position, in space'which they assume at the, commencement of the said undesired rotary movement. v

The arrangements which form the subjectv matter of the inventionv offer, the possibility of stabilizing in space a member which determines a direction without its being 'neces' sary to exert 0n the gyroscopic apparatus which stabilizes the material axis a a 'force influencing the-angula p si ion; ot; the mar terialaxis so long as the undesired rotary: movements-.ofthis axis do not assume too. high atvalue.

Claims-z 1.,An apparatus for: stabilizing a directionuin space, comprising'a stabilizing device, a sighting member: attachedto the material,axis-Of-saidstabilizing device and in-v fiuencingthe direction to be fixed, an" elec-- trical long distance controlling apparatus containing a transmitter and, a IBCGlVGI:2LI1Cl connectingthe, stabilizable material axis to a member which fixes a direction, mechanical connection between said material axis, and the rotor of said transmitter; and means for additionally, adjusting said sighting meme ber'a ndsaid rotor.

2. An apparatus for stabilizing a. direction in space, comprising astabilizing device, a sighting-member attached to the material: axis. ofz-sa-id 1 stabilizing device and influencing the directionto be fixedtan elec-, trical long distance controlling apparatus containing a transmitter andfa receiver and connecting the stabilizable material axis to a member which fixes a direction,mechanical connection between, said material axis and the rotor of said transmitter; a sighting member, adapted to take part intherotaryv movementv oirsaid material axis and; means. for: additionallyadjusting said rotor and said sighting member simultaneously.

' 3. An apparatus for stabilizingv a; direction in space for use in combination with a gun comprising a stabilizing device, a sighting means 'connectedito and stabilized. by said stabilizingdevice, an indicator connected with said gun and adaptedto move therewith, a second indicator cooperating with said first, mentioned indicator, an electrical long distance controlling-apparatus connect.-

ing said'second indicator tosaid stabilizing device'and means for correcting the position of said sighting means and second indicator 'a corresponding amount to offset theinfluence ofpprecession of the stabilizing device.

4; An apparatus for stabilizing a direction in space for :use in combination with a g-uncomprising a stabilizing device, a shaft attached to thematerial axis of said stabilizing deviceand influencing the direction to be' fixed,san indicator connected to-rotate with said gun, a second indicator cooperating with said first mentionedind-icator, an electrical long distance controlling. apparatus containing a transmitter and: a receiver and connecting said last mentioned indicator to the stabili'zable material axis, a sighting means connected to and: stabilized bysaid stabilizing device and means for simultaneously correctingv the position of said sighting meansandsecond indicator a corresponding amount to offset; the influence of pre-' cession of the stabilizin device.

5:" apnatatus: of ti e, class; described comprising a gyroscopic apparatus, a sighting means, a gear connection between said sighting means and gyroscopic apparatus whereby said sighting means Will be stabilized, a gun, an indicator secured to said gun and adapted to rotate therewith, a cooperating indicator, an electrical long distance controll ng apparatus contalnlng a transmltter and a. recelver for connecting said lndlcator to said gyroscopic apparatus, agear connection between said 'gyroscopic apparatus and the transmitter of said distance controlling apparatus and means connected to both of said gear connections for adjusting the same whereby the position of said sighting means and last mentioned indicator may be altered simultaneously to a corresponding amount to ofiset the influence of precession of the stabilizing device.

The foregoing specification signed at 20 Essen, Germany, this 16th day, of June, I

DR, WALTHER AKEMANN. 

